Vasodilatory responses and magnetic resonance angiography. Extracranial and intracranial intravascular flow data

This study measured the responses of both extracranial (internal carotid arteries) and intracranial (middle cerebral/angular, basilar arteries) intravascular arterial volume flow rates to acetazolamide using phase-contrast magnetic resonance angiography. Twenty-eight newly studied patients were subdivided into four groups: Group I--Nonocclusive, asymptomatic (n = 7, or 14 carotid and middle cerebral/angular artery sides); Group II--unilateral carotid transient ischemic attacks, nonhemodynamic (embolic), varying stenoses (n = 11); Group III--unilateral carotid transient ischemic attacks, hemodynamic, varying stenoses (n = 5); and Group IV--unilateral carotid occlusion, asymptomatic (n = 5). The data were separated into nonischemic and ischemic sides so as to illustrate group differences based on vasodilatory responses to acetazolamide. For example, the percent change in volume flow rates over baseline values for the ischemic-side middle cerebral arteries of Group III was significantly the lowest of all of the vasodilatory responses (-25 +/- 11% vs 40 +/- 14% for group II ischemic middle cerebral/angular artery sides, p = 0.008). Group III patients also had significantly lower standing blood pressures (p = 0.012), higher number of transient ischemic attacks (p = 0.008), and shorter duration of events (p = 0.013). Determinations of volume flow rate continue to assist in determining the degree of hemodynamic compromise of a particular vascular territory.